While We're Gone: North European Ice Sheet
5 Million Years in the future...and the world is in the grip of another, cold as hell Ice Age! The ice caps have caused insane environmental changes across the globe; reaching as far south in Europe as Paris, up north; and down south, Antarctica stretches as far north Argentina! In short, Europe's colder than a nudist on an iceberg; and only half as entertaining, too! But that's not to say we're minus life here; far from it, we've got some unique species here no normal man would recognize roaming across the tundra! Unfortunately, some of the more recognizable animals are long gone; or at least, in their current forms. Bears are sadly nonexistent here, as most of the major ursine players couldn't keep up with the climate change, and the ever-encroaching ice caps. Bears are still around, yes, just not the way they used to be. But we shall get to them at a later time; for now, we take you to what used to be southern France, where some rather odd-looking herd animals waddle their way across the frozen wilderness. Meet the Shagrat; a furry, stocky rodent the size of modern sheep. They kind of look like if a capybara needed a shave, and badly, I might add! Shagrats travel in herds, migrating to and from the ice sheets in search of decent grazing. Despite their size, however, they're actually close relations to that ever-resilient rodent of the European pastures, the marmot. And keep an eye on that word, 'rodent', you'll find they've never been more popular because of the Ice Age! Anyway, getting to their features to fight off the ever shifting ice; their fur is doubly insulated, protecting them against the blinding snowstorms that plague Europe. These storms can put the entire tundra into a total whiteout, but the Shagrats can withstand much worse than what most snowstorms can dish out. They mate during the springtime, breed in the summer, and raise the pups to be sturdy and strong enough to handle the autumn and winter winds. Like elephants before them, Shagrats can remember just where proper grazing sights are, and navigate by the experience of the leading female. Which is good, because it's incredibly hard to see much of anything more than a few inches from their faces. However, this blizzard weather is the least of the Shagrat's worries, for there's one other, equally deadly menace hiding within the snowy veil... A Snowstalker! Only slightly smaller than a Shagrat, they prowl the icy landscape, looking for the tired, ill or weak that fall behind the rest of the herd. They only attack once, but there's little rush for them in terms of post-attack. All they gotta do is follow the trail of blood, and wait...until the Shagrat bleeds out. A gruesome, but energy efficient survival strategy, especially given how savage their ancestors were. You see, this powerful, white-coated beast may seem like a big cat, but most large cats have been considered extinct by this point, at least in Europe. No, this is in fact the descendant of a powerful weasel relative called the wolverine. Being a rather opportunistic hunter by nature, it was only natural that the Snowstalker could survive where so many other creatures couldn't. But it's more than just a fluffy, white coat that keeps this great hunter ahead of the competition. It gained a feature used before by both powerful gorgonopsids and Smilodons of old: Razor-sharp saber-teeth! These teeth are about as long as a kitchen knife, and are aimed squarely for the jugular of any hapless animal that gets in their way. On top of this, their soles are able to grip the slippery ice, preventing accidents on the hunt. But they're not the only hunters that prowl the wintery hills both day and night; not long after a kill is made, Snowstalkers often end up sharing some of their prey (unintentionally, I might add) with a short, burly beast that patrols for scavenged meat at the fringes of the ice slopes: the Driftprowler. Descended from the red fox, these ankle-biters often hang around in gangs like a pack of jackals, snacking on whatever a Snowstalker won't consume. With strong jaw muscles and bone-crushing teeth, they can eat almost anything that's dead/dying out in the blizzard-driven weather. Like most animals of this snowy landscape, both Snowstalker and Driftprowler are pure white in fur coloration, prefect camouflage against the snowdrifts. However, unlike the Snowstalker, Driftprowlers change their coat during the brief spring/summer months from white to a brown and white coat. Like zebras, no two patterns of this coat are the same; this is both to signify who's who, and also to help distinguish between male and female of the species. The mating patterns of Driftprowlers and Snowstalkers are relatively similar; usually jockeying for mating rights by biting the other, sometimes killing the other if the battle's harsh enough. They each carry two-to-three pups per litter, and are raised by the female of the species. The males usually live alone, often larger than the females; same goes for the females when not having kids, and they only get together during that ever-short-yet-effective mating season. With the cubs growing fast, both will travel great distances to find food for their pups. Not particularly picky, Driftprowlers will eat almost any prey item, and will use underground larders to eat through some of the harsher months of the winter. But there is one beast in particular that can be difficult for both Snowstalker and Raptor Badger to hunt, and one that will often work with Shagrats if they're going the same way. Men and madams, I present to you: the Shagsheep! While at first glance, this sounds like a Shagrat recolor, it is anything but. They're related to the Alpine Ibex, and have adapted surprisingly well to the climate change. Because they no longer live in the mountains, they don't need their ancestor's thin legs, their hooves designed to be able to march through deep snow as they search for grazing. Like the wildebeests before them, they occasionally migrate with Shagrats. And part of how they're able to survive so long is their horns. Now fused into a shield-like form, these flattened horns are multi-taskers; partly as extra protection against the blizzard winds, and partly as a blocker against any enemies from up front. And if attacked, they can form a protective circle to keep predators from their young. Not to mention, it also does great work as a weapon for mating rights. Males only join the herd in the winter, as to not be picked out by Snowstalkers. The herds follow the matriarchal system however, and the males do leave in the breeding season in spring to mingle among other herds. The gestation period of the Shagsheep is a surprising 9 months, just like humans. They give birth in the spring and rear their young until fall, which they are then kicked out of the herd to bring genetics to another group. But of course, we've mainly been talking about the winter side of it; let us picture the few brief spring and summer months that bring out some of the real action. There are several creatures that are mainly spring and summer-centric; the most notable is a large rodent the size of a hippo called a Beavercampus. A solitary creature, this lumbering beast is just as vicious as his size suggests. It's arguably one of the biggest rodents of the area, living in chilly ponds, lakes and rivers. Armed with teeth normally used for chewing tough, aquatic plants and chill-resistant reeds near these bodies of water. Like most animals of the mainland, it only becomes social during mating season, and gives birth to only one or two pups per litter. Beavercampi are also one of the few animals of this icy European region to hibernate, sleeping in caves near their pond territories in order to conserve energies. These solitary rodents are also rather dangerous as well, as their jaws are strong enough to bite right through a 30 inch block of wood without so much as a chip in the incisor! Because of this, and the fact that its feet can swipe like a bear paw, many predators don't dare attack them, say for a very desperate Snowstalker. One of a Snowstalker's favorite hunting spots, however, is near a colony of a rather bizarre species. A species that has taken up a role that most modern sea mammals have left void. Enter a large creature with a long, slender beak called a Gannetwhale. As its name suggests, these flightless birds evolved from gannets, taking up a role originally made by most cetaceans. That's not to say whales are extinct by this point, but they've become comparatively rare. Part of this is our fault, actually; between the whaling and pollution, we certainly didn't do them any favors. So when the fish stocks started proving problematic, so too was it for whales. So in response, the gannet took up the task, becoming the Gannetwhale and hunting similarly to a dolphin or penguin. It's also like a penguin or sea lion that they swim, their feet becoming rudders. Despite how the original documentary depicts, Gannetwhales do not warm eggs, since it's often too cold to have them perch eggs between their tail and feet. Instead, the babies are technically born live; laid within the female Gannetwhale, and then hatches after several months. However, this still makes the young a big target for creatures like the Snowstalkers and Driftprowlers. In defense, they have two options: 1. They often nest in great pods, protecting their young with their long beaks that can be almost dagger-like in how deep they cut. This, incidentally, is also how they battle for mates, but I'm getting sidetracked. 2. If this doesn't work, they hack up a vomit of partially digested fish and squid. To the sensitive noses of predators, this is essentially like sniffing a pile of rotting onions. But it wouldn't be much of an ecosystem if only Gannetwhales ruled the seas near France. The seas are teeming with those adapted for icy waters, including one of the very last whale species, the Arctic Cruiser. Descended from the blue whale, arguably the biggest animal alive today, they resemble their ancestors to a t; eating plankton that blooms during the spring and summer. In the winter, they migrate to the Bahama Archipelago to rear their young, and fatten them up for the journey back to the northern seas. Despite being the size of your average humpback, however, they do have a predator that hunts them in the northern oceans. Enter the Gannetwhaler Shark. This big descendant of the great white gave up its more sluggish lifestyle for a slightly speedier life. Its teeth are as sharp as a tiger shark's, and it hunts similarly to its ancestors. Its developed an antifreeze similar to most fish of the Arctic and Antarctic regions, but as compensation, they're exclusive to these frigid waters, unable to pursue the Arctic Cruisers to the Archipelago thousands of miles away. They breed similarly to those like the lemon shark, giving birth to live young and like the tiger shark, only the most developed embryos survive, eating their unborn brothers and sisters while inside the mother's womb. The young eat the many unique species of the European waters; such as the Frost Squid, Arctic Jack, and Sun Jellies. Each is respectively descended from normal squids, jack fish, and jellyfish. At the very bottom of the food chain here is the Paddle Snail, related to most sea snails, and common prey item for the Frost Squid. As you can see, in 5 Million Years time, despite all odds stacked against them, life resiliently carries on through even this, a most unforgiving blizzard realm. From giant beavers that act like hippos, to saber-toothed wolverines that hunt giant marmots and ibex, we've got a menagerie that could only happen in this, the great European Tundra. Category:While We're Gone Category:Future Earth Category:5 Million Years Category:North European Ice Sheet